Hepatoprotective effects of pecan nut shells on ethanol-induced liver damage

• Published in: Experimental and toxicologic pathology : official journal of the Gesellschaft für Toxikologische Pathologie Vol. 65; no. 1-2; pp. 165 - 171
• Main Authors: Müller, Liz Girardi, Pase, Camila Simonetti, Reckziegel, Patrícia, Barcelos, Raquel C.S., Boufleur, Nardeli, Prado, Ana Cristina P., Fett, Roseane, Block, Jane Mara, Pavanato, Maria Amália, Bauermann, Liliane F., da Rocha, João Batista Teixeira, Burger, Marilise Escobar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01-01-2013
• Subjects: alanine transaminase; Animals; antioxidant activity; antioxidants; Antioxidants - isolation & purification; Antioxidants - metabolism; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; aspartate transaminase; Biphenyl Compounds - chemistry; Carya - chemistry; catalase; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - enzymology; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - etiology; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - pathology; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - prevention & control; Chronic ethanol; erythrocytes; Erythrocytes - diagnostic imaging; Erythrocytes - drug effects; ethanol; Ethanol - toxicity; food industry; gamma-glutamyltransferase; genotoxicity; glutathione; Hepatoprotective effect; lipid peroxidation; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; liver; Liver - drug effects; Liver - enzymology; Liver - pathology; liver diseases; Liver Function Tests; Liver injury; Male; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective - chemically induced; Nuts - chemistry; Oxidative stress; Pecan shells; pecans; Picrates - chemistry; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; proanthocyanidins; Rats; Rats, Wistar; superoxide dismutase; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - chemistry; Ultrasonography; Oxidative stress; LP; ALT; Et; IC50; Chronic ethanol; GSH; MN; AC; AST; CE; AE; DPPH; OS; SOD; GAE; TBARS; Pecan shells; Liver injury; CT; TE; GGT; CAT; ROS; ALD; Hepatoprotective effect; TP; ABTS
• ISSN: 0940-2993; 1618-1433
• DOI: 10.1016/j.etp.2011.08.002

The hepatoprotective activity of the aqueous extract of the shells of pecan nut was investigated against ethanol-induced liver damage. This by-product of the food industry is popularly used to treat toxicological diseases. We evaluated the phytochemical properties of pecan shell aqueous extract (AE) and its in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant activity. The AE was found to have a high content of total polyphenols (192.4±1.9mg GAE/g), condensed tannins (58.4±2.2mg CE/g), and antioxidant capacity, and it inhibited Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation (LP) in vitro. Rats chronically treated with ethanol (Et) had increased plasmatic transaminases (ALT, AST) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels (96%, 59.13% and 465.9%, respectively), which were effectively prevented (87; 41 and 383%) by the extract (1:40, w/v). In liver, ethanol consumption increased the LP (121%) and decreased such antioxidant defenses as glutathione (GSH) (33%) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (47%) levels, causing genotoxicity in erythrocytes. Treatment with pecan shell AE prevented the development of LP (43%), GSH and SOD depletion (33% and 109%, respectively) and ethanol-induced erythrocyte genotoxicity. Catalase activity in the liver was unchanged by ethanol but was increased by the extract (47% and 73% in AE and AE+Et, respectively). Therefore, pecan shells may be an economic agent to treat liver diseases related to ethanol consumption.